Kitchen appliance with normally black transmissive liquid crystal display device

ABSTRACT

In a kitchen appliance ( 1 ) with a housing ( 2 ) and with a liquid crystal display device ( 12 ), the liquid crystal display device ( 12 ) is accommodated in an accommodating section ( 11 ) of the housing ( 2 ), and the accommodating section ( 11 ) is bounded, on a front face ( 13 ) and on a rear face ( 14 ), by a transparent housing-wall section ( 15, 16 ), and the liquid crystal display device ( 12 ) is in the form of a negatively transmissive liquid crystal display device ( 12 ), which is disposed between the two transparent housing-wall sections ( 15, 16 ).

The invention relates to a kitchen appliance equipped with a housing,which comprises housing walls, and with a liquid crystal display devicewhich is accommodated in the housing and is provided to display dataarising in the kitchen appliance, wherein the housing is equipped withan accommodating section to accommodate the liquid crystal displaydevice.

A kitchen appliance in accordance with the generic type specified in thefirst paragraph above has been put into trade by the applicant in theform of two design variants with type designations HR 2388 and HR 2389,which are therefore known. In connection with a kitchen appliance inaccordance with the generic type specified in the first paragraph above,reference can also be made to patent document DE 42 05 120 A1.

In the known solutions, the kitchen appliance is realized in the form ofscales, wherein the housing is equipped with a main area, which isessentially circular in plan view, and a supplementary area, whichprotrudes laterally from the main area and assumes in plan view roughlythe shape of an annular sector. Both the main area and the supplementaryarea of the housing exhibit only a low overall height. In the knownsolutions, the liquid crystal display device is in the form of apositively reflective liquid crystal display device. In the knowndesigns, as a result of the structural design of the housing, when usinglarge containers to accommodate an item to be weighed, the problemexists that the liquid crystal display device may be at least partiallycovered by the large container, as a result of which the reading of thedata indicated with the aid of the liquid crystal display device may beimpaired. It has further transpired that satisfactory display conditionsare not always achieved with the positively reflective liquid crystaldisplay device.

It is an object of the invention to resolve the above-cited problems andto create an improved kitchen appliance.

To achieve the above-cited object, features in accordance with theinvention are provided in a kitchen appliance in accordance with theinvention, so a kitchen appliance in accordance with the invention canbe characterized in the manner specified below, namely:

Kitchen appliance equipped with a housing, which comprises housingwalls, and with a liquid crystal display device which is accommodated inthe housing and is provided to display data arising in the kitchenappliance, wherein the housing is equipped with an accommodating sectionfor accommodating the liquid crystal display device and wherein theaccommodating section is bounded, on both a front face and on a rearface opposite the front face, by a transparent housing-wall section, andwherein the liquid crystal display device is in the form of a negativelytransmissive liquid crystal display device, and wherein the negativelytransmissive liquid crystal display device is disposed between the twotransparent housing-wall sections of the housing, and wherein the frontface of the negatively transmissive liquid crystal display device isdisposed adjacent to the transparent housing-wall section on the frontface of the housing.

An improved kitchen appliance is obtained through the use of anegatively transmissive liquid crystal display device, this beingachieved in a simple manner through the provision of the features inaccordance with the invention, since, in the kitchen appliance inaccordance with the invention, by virtue of the lighting conditionsnormally prevailing in a kitchen or a comparable room, displayconditions that are virtually always correct and satisfactory, which arebased to a considerable extent on the properties of a negativelytransmissive liquid crystal display device obtain, which properties haveproved extremely advantageous in the lighting conditions normallyprevailing in a kitchen or a comparable room, as has transpired undertest conditions. One further and especially great advantage consists inthe fact that the negatively transmissive liquid crystal display devicecan be lit from the rear with a light source, as a result of which thevery optimum display conditions are then achieved.

In a kitchen appliance in accordance with the invention, it has provedextremely advantageous if, in addition, the features as claimed in claim2 are provided. As a result, the unhindered, easy reading of the dataindicated with the aid of the negatively transmissive liquid crystaldisplay device is always ensured.

In a kitchen appliance as cited in the previous paragraph, it has provedespecially advantageous if, in addition, the features as claimed inclaim 3 are provided. An especially convenient, unhindered reading ofdisplayed data is ensured in this manner.

A kitchen appliance in accordance with the invention may be in the formof a kitchen machine for blending, mixing and/or chopping foodstuffs. Ithas proved especially advantageous if the kitchen appliance inaccordance with the invention is in the form of a set of scales. In aset of scales, the measures in accordance with the invention have provedespecially advantageous.

The above-mentioned aspects and further aspects of the invention areexplained below.

The invention will be further described with reference to examples ofembodiments shown in the drawings, to which, however, the invention isnot restricted.

FIG. 1 shows, in an oblique view from above, a kitchen appliance inaccordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows, in an exploded view, some of the significant components ofthe kitchen appliance in accordance with FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows schematically, in cross-section, an accommodating sectionto accommodate a liquid crystal display device of the kitchen appliancein accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows a kitchen appliance 1, which, in the present case, is inthe form of a set of kitchen scales 1. The kitchen scales 1 are equippedwith a housing 2, which comprises a multiplicity of housing walls andwhich is equipped with a main area 3 and a supplementary area 4. Themain area 3 of housing 2 comprises a circular cover wall 5 and a sidewall 6, developed roughly in the shape of a truncated cone, and a basewall not shown in the Figures. Onto the cover wall 5 can be placed acontainer 7, which is provided to receive items to be weighed.

The supplementary area 4 of housing 2 is equipped with an L-shapeddevelopment, wherein a shorter base section 8 and a longer top section 9are provided. The base section 8 of supplementary area 4 is connected tothe main area 3 of housing 2. In the area of the free end 10 of topsection 9, an accommodating section 11 having a shape wider than topsection 9 is connected to top section 9.

Accommodating section 11 of housing 2 is provided and designed toaccommodate a liquid crystal display device 12, which liquid crystaldisplay device 12 is accommodated in the accommodating section 11 ofhousing 2 and is provided to display data, especially weight data,arising in the kitchen appliance. In kitchen appliance 1, liquid crystaldisplay device 12 is, in an advantageous manner, in the form of anegatively transmissive liquid crystal display device 12. Theaccommodating section 11 of housing 2 is hereby bounded, on a front face13 and on a rear face 14 opposite the front face 13, by a transparenthousing-wall section 15 and 16 respectively. The first transparenthousing-wall section 15 and the second transparent housing-wall section16 are each hereby in the form of a plastic part, which is panel-shapedand transparent, inserted in windows 17 and 18 respectively inaccommodating section 11. The two housing-wall sections 15 and 16 may,however, also comprise glass. As can be clearly seen in FIG. 3, thenegatively transmissive liquid crystal display device 12 is disposedbetween the two transparent housing-wall sections 15 and 16 of housing2, wherein the front face 19 of the negatively transmissive liquidcrystal display device 12 is disposed adjacent to the first transparenthousing-wall section 15 on the front face 13 of housing 2.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, top section 9 runs essentially vertically ifkitchen scales 1 are set down on a horizontal work surface, wherein theaccommodating section 11 runs transversely in relation to top section 9,as a result of which the convenient reading of the negativelytransmissive liquid crystal display device 12 is ensured.

The negatively transmissive liquid crystal display device 12 isconnected via connecting leads 20 to an electronic driver circuit 21,which is indicated schematically in FIG. 3. The negatively transmissiveliquid crystal display device 12 is provided and designed to displayweight data. To determine the weight data, a means for determining theweight of items to be weighed, contained in container 7, is contained inmain area 3 of kitchen scales 1. To this end, an annular chassis 22 isprovided in main area 3. Connected to chassis 22 are a total of 4 footconfigurations 23, 24, 25 and 26. Each foot configuration 23 to 26contains a sensor 27, 28, 29, 30, which is designed according to theresistance strain gauge principle, and which is provided fordetermination of the weight to be determined. Each of the four sensors27 to 30 emits a sensor signal to a microprocessor, which is not shown,which determines the weight to be determined from the four sensorsignals, and, according to the weight determined, emits a control signalto the driver circuit 21, which driver circuit 21 generates a displaysignal, which is displayed with the aid of the negatively transmissiveliquid crystal display device 12.

In kitchen scales 1 in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 3, the accommodatingsection 11 is non-adjustably connected to top section 9. However, adesign may also be realized in which accommodating section 11 isswivel-connected to top section 9, wherein the inclination position ofaccommodating section 11 can then be adjusted in relation to top section9.

The measures in accordance with the invention are advantageous not justin the case of kitchen scales but also in other kitchen appliances, forinstance kitchen machines, mixers and similar kitchen appliances.

1. A kitchen appliance (1) equipped with a housing (2), which compriseshousing walls, and with a liquid crystal display device (12), which isaccommodated in the housing (2) and is provided to display data arisingin the kitchen appliance (1), wherein the housing (2) is equipped withan accommodating section (11) for accommodating the liquid crystaldisplay device (12), and wherein the accommodating section (11) isbounded, on a front face (13) and on a rear face (14) opposite the frontface (13), by a transparent housing-wall section (15, 16), and whereinthe liquid crystal display device (12) is in the form of a negativelytransmissive liquid crystal display device (12), and wherein thenegatively transmissive liquid crystal display device (12) is disposedbetween the two transparent housing-wall sections (15, 16) of thehousing (2), and wherein the front face (19) of the negativelytransmissive liquid crystal display device (12) is disposed adjacent tothe transparent housing-wall section (15) on the front face (13) of thehousing (2).
 2. A kitchen appliance (1) as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe housing (2) is equipped with a main area (3) and a supplementaryarea (4), and wherein housing (2) is equipped, in its supplementary area(4), with an L-shaped development, with a shorter base section (8) and alonger top section (9), and wherein the accommodating section (11) isprovided in the area of the free end (10) of the top section (9), inwhich accommodating section (11) the negatively transmissive liquidcrystal display device (12) is accommodated.
 3. A kitchen appliance (1)as claimed in claim 2, wherein, the top section (9) runs essentiallyvertically when the kitchen appliance (1) is set down on a horizontalwork surface, and wherein the accommodating section (11) extendstransversely to the top section (9).
 4. A kitchen appliance (1) asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the kitchen appliance (1) is in the form ofscales (1).